3064. M32 Cycle path (66)

The last few weeks have seen a rash of Pekoe pieces popping up all over the place and it has been a real pleasure to see. Her distinctive style is the perfect complement to the large and growing cohort of graffiti writers in the city.

Pekoe, M32 cycle path, Bristol, July 2020
Pekoe, M32 cycle path, Bristol, July 2020

This piece by Pekoe is a real celebration of Bristol and articulates exactly how I feel about the city. Bristol has a great culture and with its history steeped in colonialism and the slave trade it is working hard to confront and come to terms with its past and move forward in a progressive and equitable way. The Black Lives Matters movement has had huge support in Bristol and a desire to understand white privilege and to take steps to make things right. We are at the start of something special I hope.

I love the green face and the hairstyle in this piece is a little different, but no less marvellous. A terrific work.

Panther chameleon

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So farewell then George

colourful companion

reptilian friend.

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by Scooj

3063. M32 roundabout J3 (233)

Taboo has been so, so busy lately, and up until yesterday he had three large pieces spread out on this wall of which this is one. Taboo is different and most creative. His writing is unlike any other we see about the place and his characters play an integral role in the writing rather than a cheerful add-on. Ok… let’s get this straight… this is not by Taboo, but by Whos, whose writing looks like Taboo’s. So scratch the first half of this paragraph.

Whos, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Whos, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

I would love to say that the writing says TABOO, but I can’t fully see it myself, so maybe it says something else (yep, it says WHOS). Embracing the letters is a long-armed character, possibly an inmate, because the thrust of the piece is articulated along the bottom ‘no more super prisons’. The sun and the green dog add extra colour and interest. A fine piece from Whos.

3062. Armada Place (20)

Armada Place is one of my favourite spots, but over recent years it has become rather quieter than it used to be and the quality of most of the graffiti there seems to have dropped a little. How wonderful it was then to stumble across this lovely piece from Sled One last week.

Sled One, Armada Place, Bristol, July 2020
Sled One, Armada Place, Bristol, July 2020

The piece is yet another surreal and strange piece depicting a figure hoiking out his skull from his face… I know how he feels! While looking at the scene unfold, it would be easy to miss that this is actually a blend of graffiti writing and a character scene… verify clever work. The writing says SLED.

Sled One, Armada Place, Bristol, July 2020
Sled One, Armada Place, Bristol, July 2020

As always with Sled One’s work, the piece is fantastically finished and so easy on the eye. His style of painting and the immense skill and experience he has makes it all look so easy and effortless. Go find it!

Confluence

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A red letter day

worth getting out of bed for

right place and right time

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by Scooj

3061. M32 roundabout J3 (232)

Another artist relatively new to me and whose work I have started to notice about the place is Alos (I think), whose earthy and organic writing is deceptively well thought out and executed. For example the raggedy edges of the letters are reflected in a similarly raggedy shading and outline.

Alos, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Alos, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

I have some other recent pictures of work from this artist and am enjoying trying to figure out more about him/her. The style might not be to everyone’s taste, but I rather like it as it is vert different from a lot of the regimented and precise writing that we see all too often. Watch this space for more on Alos.

3060. M32 roundabout J3 (231)

Ooh, it is always great to come across new work from Elvs and I am particularly enjoying his accompanying characters at the moment, which complement his superb writing really well. This is a nice spot on the M32 roundabout that Elvs favours from time to time. Yesterday this exact same wall was being painted by Inkie, Soker, Tizer, Minto, Rusk and Stivs… some of the greatest writers you’ll get to see in a single gathering. More on that paint jam to come soon.

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

It goes without saying that the beautiful script writing and shading are of such a high standard. Elvs has really nailed his technique for this style of lettering.

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

The character, Marvin the Martian, seems to be a favourite with street artists. Dasco has just done one in Spain and there are a couple of other examples below:

Dtor, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2020
Dtor, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2020

Deamze, Hill Street, Bristol, October 2018
Deamze, Hill Street, Bristol, October 2018

Common hedge nettle

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A cliff-top meadow

keeper of many secrets

Mother Nature’s gifts

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by Scooj

3059. Cattle Market Road (6)

Adjacent to the new hoardings on Cattle Market Road that have been immaculately painted by Josh B, Bnie, The Hass, Hazard and Sled One are some slightly older hoardings which are beginning to be ‘decorated’, this one by Haka

Haka, Cattle Market Road, Bristol, June 2020
Haka, Cattle Market Road, Bristol, June 2020

Haka’s work is a little more edgy than his neighbours and has a real sense of vandalism about it compared to their high-end work. All of this wonderfully illustrates exactly why I love street/graffiti art… the vast spectrum of styles, ‘respectability’, talent on offer caters for pretty much every taste. This character-writing combination is a cheerful piece with Tom and the Roadrunner flanking a nicely written JESSE. A fun piece.

3058. Brunel Way bridge (48)

I think that this might be the first Slim Pickings (Tes) piece that I have posted since the easing of lock down restrictions, and what a nice one to be kicking off with. Some lovely colours and the customary care and attention that Slim Pickings always applies to his work.

Slim Pickings, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2020
Slim Pickings, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2020

The piece was part of a No Frills collaboration that was painted over the RBF Black Lives Matter collaboration before it, emphasising just how rapid the turnover here is right now. An aesthetically pleasing piece from a great writer.